Several urban farming groups, including Home Harvest Farms and Project 4, organized an interactive display at The Fair at the PNE based on David Holmgren’s Permaculture Principles. The goal is to bring more Canadians into a conversation about climate and food crisis and to showcase some of the most promising responses to these crises. The exhibit will be open from August 21st to September 2nd (except Monday, Aug 26th).
There were 12 groups participating in the exhibit, with Diacarbon Energy being featured as an example for Principle # 5: “Use and value renewable resources.” The display explains how converting plant biomass to biochar and adding it to soil can move significant amounts of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere into a safe, solid form. If done globally on farmland, using biochar made from crop and forestry waste, perhaps enough carbon can be sequestered out of the air to make a difference for our planetary future.
Diacarbon’s pure biochar was displayed in an open tray for people to see and touch. The applications for urban farming were also displayed by having a metal planter containing soil amended with our biochar, growing a sample variety of plants. Biochar as a soil amendment improves the quality of soils by increasing water and nutrient retention and increasing fertilizer efficiency.